Mr. John, a foreign national, cannot under federal law make any contribution to a federal, state or local election campaign. The group, in a letter from its president, Tom Fitton, described Mr. John’s appearance at the fund-raiser as an “in-kind contribution from a foreign national.”

The Clinton campaign could not be reached for comment. More than 5,000 tickets were sold to the event at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.

Update The Clinton campaign responded to news queries, including an article in The Washington Times, about this issue before the concert. At the HillaryHub, the campaign posted this statement, with a quote from a spokesman for the Federal Election Commission:

Hillary’s campaign has complied with the law. Since 1987, the FEC has consistently held that foreign nationals may volunteer their time for campaigns on an uncompensated basis. Elton John is simply volunteering his uncompensated time to appear at the concert. This appearance is consistent with past F.E.C. rulings.

Bob Biersack, F.E.C. spokesman confirmed that there was nothing unlawful about the Elton John performance:

“I did not intend to convey in my conversation with the Washington Times reporter that there is anything unlawful about Elton John performing in a concert to raise money for a US presidential candidate. The Advisory Opinion 2004-26 is clear in the circumstances of the request that foreign nationals may volunteer and may even solicit contributions from non-foreign nationals, provided they are not soliciting other foreign nationals.”

Ha Ha Ha,
Where do you think the 5 Million Dollars came from. Some cousins in Arkansas. They came from the Middle East. What is the Judicial Watch doing about that. How much of the 800,000 from Columbian CAFTA lobby originated from within America? Until we eliminate the PACS we have live with the countyless dukes aka lobbyists.

FEC Spokesman Confirms There Was Nothing Unlawful About Elton John Performance

3/27/2008 11:43:45 AM

Recent news reports mistakenly suggest Hillary broke the law by allowing Elton John, a foreign national, to perform for her campaign.

Hillary’s campaign has complied with the law. Since 1987, the FEC has consistently held that foreign nationals may volunteer their time for campaigns on an uncompensated basis. Elton John is simply volunteering his uncompensated time to appear at the concert. This appearance is consistent with past FEC rulings.

Bob Biersack, FEC Spokesman confirmed that there was nothing unlawful about the Elton John performance:

“I did not intend to convey in my conversation with the Washington Times reporter that there is anything unlawful about Elton John performing in a concert to raise money for a US presidential candidate. The Advisory Opinion 2004-26 is clear in the circumstances of the request that foreign nationals may volunteer and may even solicit contributions from non-foreign nationals, provided they are not soliciting other foreign nationals.”

Read the Federal Election Commission regs on this. Though this conservative group is raising this issue for partisan reasons, they are clearly in the right. The Clinton fundraiser is clearly a violation and sets a dangerous precedent.

I had wondered about this. She’s already spent half that money on “I’m not Bitter” flyers, bumper stickers and a new attack ad in Pennsylvania. Elton John is a fine man, but the DNC should have thought this through when they sued McCain. It may be a non issue because foreign nationals can volunteer within specified parameters. If someone can phone-bank, why can’t they sing for you?

I have more of a problem with 800,000 dollars from Colombia being part of the common income pool from which she lent $5 million to her campaign. It’s not illegal but it just looks conflicted. First Spouses should not have financial conflicts of interest that so directly tie back to issues the candidate is voting on or will decide on if elected.

“Mr. John, a foreign national, cannot under federal law make any contribution to a federal, state or local election campaign. The group, in a letter from its president, Tom Fitton, described Mr. John’s appearance at the fund-raiser as an “in-kind contribution from a foreign national.””

Exactly! I remember reading in an NYT article about a month ago a high-level Democrat living abroad saying that he had been telling foreigners that they could not contribute their time or money to the Democratic candidates. When I first read about the Elton John concert, I was surprised that he was allowed to contribute his time to the Clinton campaign.

He did not donate his money. He donated his time. And that, I believe, is not against the rules.

And thanks for reminding all voters out there, especially Obama supporters that wanted and blogged for Hillary Clinton’s tax records and now have them…that Obama has NOT given up his paper trail for his time in the Senate. Clinton was asked to show her and be “transparent” and she did, all the way back to the 1990’s. So where is Obama’s paper trail for his time in the Senate? Where are those blogs about transparency? I would love to see exactly who Obama was meeting with in both the State and U S Senaate. And he now says “he lost them.” Yeah, sure! Obama, if you want transparency, which you have preached, then produce the senate records!
Media, have you asked for them, too? You certainly asked Clinton for her tax returns and Senate schedules. We need Obama’s!

I was wondering why a foreigner could give this type of support- If it is illegal- well join the Chinese, Saudis, Colombians, Canadians, etc that have support the Clinton. The USA will be dissimeninated if HRC becomes president- Billary is ready to sell the rug out from Americans for the benefit of their their “foreign friends”.
WE need an honest and honorable president.
Latina for Obama

Obama might have a similar problem due to the performances Arcade fire did for him in Ohio as most of the members of the band are Canadians. Lead singer Winn Butler and his brother Will are American citizens from Texas, and supposedly his wife Regine has dual citizenship with Canada, but all the other members are Canadians. The mixed citizenship nature of the band may defuse the problems, but the potential is there.

The FEC has already ruled that the concert was legal. This is a non-issue as most Judicial Watch complaints are. (NY Times would do better to doublecheck the FEC rulings first instead of taking Judicial Watch at its word.) And quite frankly this is far less questionable than the London fundraisers for both McCain and Obama that included such non-national event “hosts” as Gwyneth Paltrow.

#6 – Madison809 – So now Obama controls Judicial Watch? Is this how you HRC supporters are going to spin this? Judicial Watch complained because they are pro-Obama? I love it! I think we all know who’s really the desperate one. Someone recently said, HRC hasn’t been this nervous since a Hooters opened next door to her house in NY. Good grief!

Now I’ve heard it all: a black man who was raised on welfare is not only an elitist, but also controls the MSM, and Judicial Watch. Thanks for the great laugh!

At this point – I’m fed up – it doesn’t matter anymore! Let her do whatever deceitful, despicable, duplicitous thing she wants to do. Let her drag the entire Democratic Party’s reputation through the soil right next to Bill’s soiled reputation.

Either she’ll lose the primary and demoralize the party enough for McCain to win convincingly; or she’ll somehow buy a primary win and get 5 more months to destroy our party’s reputation only to lose to the Republican party again; or she’ll win the whole thing and then we should really be afraid of the bloodbath that will ensue between Dems and Repubs in Congress.

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